Protective casing for enclosing photographic shutters to exclude moisture and dirt therefrom



April 6, 1948.

D. c. HARVEY 2,439,087 PROTECTIVE CASING FOR ENCLOSING PHOTOGRAPHICSHUTTERS TO EXCLUDE} MOISTURE AND DIRT THEREFROM 2 Sheets-$heet 1 FiledJune 14, 1945 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS flog/ass Cf/arl/qy April 6, 1948.

D. c. HARVEY 2,439,087 PROTECTIVE CASING FOR ENCLOSING PHOTOGRAPHICSHUTTERS TO EXCLUDE MOISTURE AND DIRT THEREFROM Filed June 14, 1945 2Sheets-Sheet 2 56 LE 46 4 45 Q 73 8/ 4.9 4/ 4 7/ 24 48 as a J 4 5 38,5;,i 74 Jill 1K] 4347 A 69 68 E 37 r Da /ass C/ran e:

INVENTOR M7W BY M72 A TTORNE YS Patented Apr. 6 1948 UNITED STATESPATENT ()FFICE PROTECTIVE CASING FOR ENCLOSING PHD TOGRAPHIC SHUTTERS TOEXCLUDE MOISTURE AND DIRT THEREFROM 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to photography and more particularly to aprotective casing for cam era shutters. One object of my invention is toprovide a means for adequately protecting a camera shutter againstmoisture, dirt, and dust. Another object of my invention is to provide aprotective casing for shutters in which a standard shutter may bemounted, and in which the shutter may be protected against the elements,and to provide a means carried by the casing for operating the variousshutter adjustments; Another object of my invention is to provideashutter casing in which a standard shutter and objective may be mounted,the protective casing being provided with an accurately-formed planesurface which is so adjusted relative to the focal length of thecameraobjective that the casings may be interchangeably mounted upon anaccurately-formed lens board without the necessity of re-focusing thecamera. A still'further object of my invention is to provide aprotective casing for shutters designed particularly for use around saltwater where it is normally difficult to prevent spray and water fromstriking and corroding camera shutter parts, and to provide a shutterstructure which is particularly suitable for naval operations. Otherobjects will appear from the following specification, the novel featuresbeing particularly pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

It has been particularly diflicult in reconnaissance work and especiallyin naval reconnaissance, to protect the photographic lens and shutter ofa camera under the extremely difficult conditions under whichphotographic equipment is used and perhaps'the most delicate part of theusual camera is theshutter and objective. Salt spray, particularly inthe tropics, causes rapid deterioration of a camera shutter, even whenthe parts are made of the more or less standard stainless steel, becauseit frequently happens that the gearing controlling the shut ter speeds,and other parts of the shutter, are affected to such an extent thatreliable exposures cannot continue to be produced. It is also verydesirable to provide some way of interchanging objectives and shutterswithout 're-fo'cusing the camera in case something does go wrong withthe shutter so that substitute shutters can quickly and easily be placedon the photographic apparatus. My present invention is particularlydirected to provide such an interchangeable protective casing forshutters which will not only greatly prolong the life of a shutter usedunder the most difficult conditions, but which 2 will also provide aunit which can'be readily and quickly interchanged in'the field withoutdanger of altering thefocus of the completed camera.

Coming now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote likeparts throughout:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a protective shuttef casing carrying a,standard type of shutter, the casingbeing constructed in accordance withand embodying a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the casing cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the shutter casing shown inthe precedingfigures;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken through the shutter casing shown'inFig. l on line 4-4 thereof and showing a standard shutter in elevation;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 2

showing the shutter" casing without a shutter mounted therein;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing the interlockingrelationship of the shutter casing rings;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a shutter leaf opening memberremoved from the shutter casing. 7

My casing consists broadly of a housing or closure for a standard typeof shutter in which the standard shutter and its objective can befocused relative to a focal plane so that an accurately-finished planesurface on the housing will bear an exact relation to the focal lengthof an objective enabling an operator to merely attach this housing to acamera support having an accurately-formed surface thereon, makingdifferent lenses and shutters prepared for the purpose interchangeable.The improved protective casing for shutters preferably completelyencloses the shutter and is provided with a series of intelockingsubstantially moisture and dustproof operating members so arranged thatthe operating parts of a standard shutter mounted in the casing can beadjusted by adjusting members extending outside of the casing. While thepres'entembodiment of my invention was particularly designed for aspecial type of camera shown in my 'copending' application Serial No.700,560,"filed October'l, 1946, and entitled Reflex type camera,nevertheless it is obvious that such a protective shutter casing isequally valuable for various different types of cameras.

As indicated in the drawings, the present embodiment of my inventioncomprises a casing designated broadly as I having a front cover plate 2and including a rear wall or plate 3. This wall is provided with anaccurately-formed surface 4 which has a definite relationship to thefocal plane of a camera on which the shutter S and its objective are tobe used. The shutter wall 3 carries an outwardly extending flange 5provided with a series of apertures 6--here shown as 4 in number-throughwhich screws 7 may pass into threaded apertures 8 in a lens board 9 asindicated in Fig. 4. The lens board 9 is provided with anaccurately-formed surface l bearing a definite relationship to the focalplane of the camera. The screws 1 are preferably provided with knobs l Iby which they may be turned until the annular shoulders l2 engage theflange to hold the protective casing tightly on the lens board 9. Inorder to change lenses and shutters, it is only necessary to unscrew thefour knobs ll, place another unit in place and attach it by thesescrews. This, of course, can be done very rapidly and may be carried outunder difficult conditions if necessary.

The protective casing cover plate 2 is provided with an outwardlyextending flange i3 threaded at M to receive'a lens cap l5, this capalso being threaded at [6 to form a closure for an axial opening 11through which light rays may .pass in making an exposure. The front lenselement 53 is carried by a cell l9 which in turn is carried by theshutter S and the shutter S has a rearwardly extending tubular member 20to which a ring it is attached to hold the shutter on the rear plate 3of the casing against the annular rim 22 thereof.

For one particular embodiment the shutter S is mounted in the casing lin a factory set-up which includes turning down the shoulder 22 to takecare of the exact focal length of the lens carried by the shutter S soas to position the shutter in the protective casing in the properlocation. If necessary, shims may be placed between the rear wall 23 ofthe shutter'casing and the rear wall 3 of the protective casing. Therear wall 3 of the protective casing includes an opening 26, theopenings 24 and I! being axially aligned as shown in Fig. 4.

The cover plate 2 of the protective casing is provided with a boss 25and a grease felt washer 26 of the desired thickness is placed betweenthe boss 25 and the front wall 27 of the shutter S. This forms a dustand moisture-tight closure when the lens cap I5is unscrewed and theshutter and objective are ready for use.

The shutter casing includes, as best shown in Fig. 2, an arcuate wall 30which extends between the rear plate 3 and the front plate 2 which wallsubstantially encloses the shutter. However, there are two walls 3| and32 extending from the arcuate wall 30 outwardly to a wall 33, thusproviding an opening 34 through which a pair of generally radiallyextending arms 35 and 36 may extend from the inside to the outside ofthe protective casing. Arm 35 includes an operating handle 37 and arm 36includes an operating handle 38. Each of these arms, as best shown inFig. 5, is mounted on a leaf spring, arm 35 on a leaf spring 39 and arm36 on a leaf spring 49. these leaf springs being flexible in a directionalong the axis of the camera objective and being relatively inflexiblewhen moved in a circumferential direction. Arm 36 is attached to a ringll and arm 35 is attached to a ring 52, these two rings extendingcompletely around the shutter S and being adapted to move'in a track orslideway 43 formed in the arcuate wall 30. The rings 4! and 42preferably include interlocking shoulders 34 engaging each other. Ring42 has an in terlocking flange 35 which interlocks with the flange 46 inthe cover 2. The cover 2 holds the rings 4| and 52 in interlockedrelation against the corner 17 and also retains a third ring 48 which ismounted to turn in a slideway or recess 49 in the rear wall 3 of thecasing, as best shown in Fig. 5. These rings form a substantially waterand moisture-tight cover for a shutter S and, in addition, they may beindependently moved by the handles 37 and 38 for adjusting shutterparts.

Referring to Fig. 2 the diaphragm adjusting lever 36 is connected to thering ll, this ring including a slot or aperture 50 which receives abracket 5! for transmitting motion from the ring 6! to the usualdiaphragm ring or adjusting member carried by the shutter S. Thisdiaphragm adjusting member 52 is shown in Fig. 4.

The handle 37 is connected to the ring 42, this ring having a notch 53carrying a bracket 54 connected by rivets 55 to the shutter speedadlusting ring 56.

Referring to Fig. 3 it will be noticed that the wall 33 is covered by aplate 57 and this plate includes a central slot 53 through. which thelevers 35 and 36 may project extending from the inside to the outside ofthe protective casing. In the present embodiment, the plate 51 canconveniently be formed of an etched plate and it is provided'with aseries of notches 59 on one side together with graduations 69 which arepositioned into units'of shutter speed and on the opposite side thereare notches 6| graduated into unit 62 indicating diaphragm openings.Since the leaf springs 39 and are so arranged as to give a spring biasto the levers 35 and 36 'so that these levers will engage the respectivenotches in their scale plates, the notches can be used for retaining thesetting levers 37 and 38 in a predetermined or set position. Thus, inFigure 3 the shutter diaphragm is set for f/l6 and the shutter speed isset for of a second. The leaf springs 39 and 46 enable an operator toreadily move either operating handle so that it may move freely throughthe slot 58 and so that when released the handle will automaticallyengage the notch to which it is set. However, the leaf springs 39 and 40as shown in Fig. 2 are quite wide with respect to their thickness sothat they are substantially inflexible when the arms are moved in acircumferential direction.

The ring 48, best shown in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, carries a pluralityof pins extending inwardly and outwardly from the ring for setting andreleasing the shutter. The shutter S shown in this drawing is a shutterof the type shown in Patent 2,099,866, Riddell, granted November 23,1937, and it is equipped with a shutter blade opening device similar toPatent 2,206,132, Stewart, granted July 2, 1940, and with a shutterspeed regulating mechanism similar to Patent 2,165,137, Green, grantedJuly 4, 1937. While this shutter was selected for the present embodimentof my invention obviously I canprovide a shutter protective casing forany known type of shutter- The shutter S as indicated in Fig. 2 isprovided with a shutter trigger 65 with a shutter setting lever 66 andwith a lever 67 for opening the shutter blades for focusing withoutaltering the shutter speed adjustment. Lever 65., which is the trigger,may be released when pin 68 carried by ring 33 is turned in thedirection shown by the arrow. When the ring 48 is moved in a reversedirection, the setting lever 66 may be engaged and moved by pin 69. Theblade opening lever B! may-be operated a pin 19 but this pin is notcarried by the ring labutis carried by the slidably mounted arcuatesegment 1 l shown in Fig, 7 and in Fig. 5. In the latt'enfigure a pin 12'is: shown" as extending upwardly through a slot 13 in the rear walltand the arcuate slidablemember 'H' extends through a cut-out portion'14- between the ring and the 'ring 41. The extentof this arcuatecutoutportion His shown in Fig.2 and itis just suflicient to permit thepin 70; to 'be moved the necessary distance to operate the blade openinglever '61. It; will be noticed thatthe slot "Id-does not in any way openup the inner shutter carryingchamberBO to the outer chamber 34;throug'h-which=the levers pass sothat asea l is still-maintained between theexterior and the interior of the casing. The ring 48 includes a pinand asecond pin 82 mounted adj acentjto the .pins 68 and 69 but extendingoutwardly from the shutter through the slot 83 "best shown in Fig. 2.The pins 12, 8!, and 82 extend into a camera supporting the lens board,9 and are adapted toengage'suitable mechanism thereof which can beoperated to move these pins to open the blades for focusing, set theshutter and release the shutter preferably in sequential relation asindicated'in my copending application above referred to.

It' will be noticedfthat the construction of my improved shutterprotective casing issuch that the rear of the shutter S is protected bythe camera body and the connectionbetween Wall 3 and-the lens board 9.The front of the shutter S- is protected from the grease-felt gasket 26outwardly and the remaining portion of the shutter lies in the chamber80 which is completely sealedby theedge wallsoithe casing, the rings 4|,42, and 48, and the cover plate 2. While the chamber 34' includestheslot 58,,in the wall 57, nevertheless the inside wall of this chamberformed by portions: of-the. rings-'41 and 42 are adequately sealedagainst any. moisture, dust, or dirt which may enter the slot 58. Thefront lens element 18 is of course exposed when the lens cap-|5isremoved but this lens cell screws tightly into the shutter casing and ismade of a noncorrodablematerial sothat-neither the cell nor the glass isreadily injured during the short time it is exposed intaking pictures.

By providing interchangeable units including protective casings,shutters, and lenses, which can be readily placed on, or removed from, alens board, and by providing a unit which is substantially water anddust tight, I have overcome the many difiiculties which occur,particularly in warm, moist climates and in naval reconnaissance whichusually occur with standard types of photographic equipment. While myimproved protective casing for shutters must be altered somewhat fordifferent types of shutters now on the market, this can readily be done.Usually, it only requires a re-positioning of the operating pins 68, 69,and 10, and perhaps slightly diiferent mounts for the shutter in theprotective casings. However, these alterations can be accomplished byany skilled mechanic.

While I have described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is obvious that changes can readily be made thereinwithout departing from my invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A protective casing for the reception of a complete shutter includinga speed-setting member, a diaphragm-setting member and carrying lenselements; the protective casing comprising a housing, front and backplatesin the housing, axially-aligned openings. forthe reception of saidlens elements in the front and back plates of the protective casing, anannular guideway in the housing, rings extending about theaxially-aligned openings and mounted to turnin the annular guideway,operable connections, one between one ring and said shutterspeed-setting member, and one between the other ring and said shutterdiaphragm-setting member, interengaging flanges on the rings andguideway, generally radially-extending arms, one carried by each ringand extendingfrom the protective casing for moving the rings, saidvhousing enclosing the greater part of said rings.

'2. A protective casing for the reception of a complete shutterincluding an operating lever and setting members, the protective casingcomprising, in combination, a front and back wall, each havingaxially-aligned lens openings, an outer edge wall extendingsubstantially around and supporting the front and back walls, an innerarcuately-shaped wallextendingaround the axially-aligned lens openingsand forrning a first slideway, rings mounted to turn in said slidewayand completely encircling the axiallyaligned lens openings, handles, onefor manually operating each ring, a second annular slideway in theprotective casing, an annular member oscillatably mounted therein meansfor actuating the annular member extending through the casing, saidphotographic shutter including two setting members and an operatinglever adapted to be enclosed in the protective casing, means carried bythe annular slidable member for engaging and movingthe olqelating leverof the photographic shutter, means carried by one ring for engaging andmoving one shutter-setting member, means carriedby the other ring forengaging and moving the other setting. member.

3. A protective casing for the, reception of a shutter comprising, incombination, a frontand a back Wall, each having axially-aligned lensopenings, an outer edge wall extending substantially around andsupporting the front and back walls, an inner arcuately-shaped wallextending around the axially aligned lens, openings and forming a, firstslideway, rings mounted to turn in said slideway and completelyencircling the axially-aligned lens openings, handles, one for manuallyoperating each ring, a second annular slideway in the protective casing,an annular member oscillatably mounted therein, means extending throughthe casing for operating the annular slidable member, said photographicshutter including speed and diaphragm setting members and a settinglever and a trigger adapted to be enclosed in the protective casing,means carried by the annular slidable member for engaging and moving thesetting lever and the trigger of the photographic shutter, and means foroperably connecting one ring to the speed and the other ring to thediaphragm setting members.

4. A protective casing for shutters comprising, in combination, a frontand a back wall, each having axially-aligned lens openings, an outeredge wall extending substantially around and supporting the front andback walls, an inner arcuately-shaped wall extending around theaxially-aligned lens openings and forming a first slideway, two ringsmounted to turn in said slideway and completely encircling theaxially-aligned lens openings, handles, one for manually operating eachring, a second annular slideway in the protective casing, an annularmemberoscillatably mounted therein, said photographic shutter includingoperating levers for setting and tripping the shutter, and operatingmembers for adjusting the shutter speed and the diaphragm opening, saidshutter being adapted to be totally enclosed in said protective casing,means carried by the annular slidable member for engaging and moving theoperating levers of the photographic shutter, an opening in the secondannular slideway to the outside of the protective casing sealed by theannular slidable member inside of the protective casing, a, projectionextending through the opening and connected to the annular slidablemember ior moving the latter from the exterior of the casing, and'meansfor operably connecting one ring to the speed and the other ring to thediaphragm-setting members.

5. A protective casing for shutters comprising, in combination, a frontand a back wall, each having axially-aligned lens openings, an outeredge Wall extending substantially around and supporting the front andback walls, an inner arcuately-shaped wall extending around theaxially-aligned lens openings and forming'a first slideway, two ringsmounted to turn in said slide-- way and completely encircling theaxiallyaligned lens openings, a second annular 'slideway in theprotective casing, an annular member oscillatably mounted therein andincluding a pin, an aperture in said casing through which said pinextends for operating the annular oscillatably mounted member therein,said photographic shutter including speed and diaphragm-setting membersand operating levers for setting and tripping the shutter, saidphotographic shutter being adapted to be totally enclosed in andprotected by the casing, means carried by the oscillatably mountedmember for engaging and moving the operating levers for setting andtripping the photographic shutter, means operably connecting one ring tothe speed-setting member and the other ring to the diaphragm-settingmember, said casing, rings, and annular slidable member all includinginterengaging relatively slidable flanges for sealing the photographicshutter inside the protective casing, and means for moving the rings.

6. A protective casing for shutters comprising,

in combination, a front wall and a back Wall, each havingaxially-aligned lens openings, an outer edge wall extendingsubstantially around and supporting the front and back walls, an innerarcuately-shaped wall extending around the axially-aligned lens openingsand forming a first slideway, two rings mounted to turn in said slidewayand completely encircling the axiallyaligned lens openings, a secondannular slideway in the protective casing, an annular memberoscillatably mounted therein, a projection from said annular memberextending through a slot in the casing to the exterior thereof foroperating the annular slidable member, said photographic shutterincluding a speed-setting member and a diaphragm-setting member andoperating levers, one for setting the shutter and the other forreleasing the shutter, said photographic shutter and its operatingmembers and levers being adapted to be totally enclosed in theprotective casing, means carried by the annular oscillatably mountedmember for engaging and moving the operating levers of the photographicshutter for setting and tripping the shutter, means for connecting onering to the shutter speed-setting member and means for connecting theother ring to the shutter diaphragm-setting member, means for moving therings, said casing, rings, and annular slidable member all includinginterengaging relatively slidable flanges for sealing the shutter insidethe protective casing, said shutter supporting lens elements extendinginto the axially-aligned openings in the front and back walls of theprotective casing, and means for sealing the axially-aligned openingsand the shutter forming a substantially Watertight connectiontherebetweem DOUGLASS C. HARVEY.

ap earances orrnn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

